My wife and I ended up in Grayland, at the State Park, on a rainy and windy afternoon on Saturday. The park was almost full, and we asked why. “Razor Clamming!” was the answer. Luckily, being self contained, there was a nice campsite near the first beach dune. (unfortunately overrun by scotchbroom).
By late afternoon the weather had cleared, but was still cold. This morning we woke to a beautiful sunny day, with some puffy clouds. The beach was teaming with clammers and their cars (mainly pickups). But it was still a nice walk.
If you head to the coast, be sure to stop at Westport Winery. The Roberts Family have done a great job of not only producing some wonderful wines, but their restaurant is really wonderful. We had a great time having some of their white wines and watching the surfing movies (The Roberts used to run a dive shop in Lahaina).
On the way down, we went a back way to Aberdeen that I’ve never taken before, via a road to Matlock that came out west of Elma. The feature of the landscape there is that they have cut every available tree in the area. It was a landscape that was devoid of even the rudiments of the “old days” of big trees. I was surprised that the small towns couldn’t even save a stand of old growth around their little shops and cross roads. I’ll never travel that road again. Just not worth it. They seem to like their clear cuts, and that’s fine by me. They can have them.
But if you do get that way, head up the Satsop into the hills. We didn’t this time, because it was raining like a tropical deluge. But it’s got some great river kayaking higher up.
Aberdeen and Hoquim are as down in the dumps as ever. Jetted through and headed to the coast. Nothing much ever changes down there I’d say. The hills around both are as cut as ever. Nothing is left standing down there that can be turned into cash. It’s all just a modern wasteland. Cut and run. It’s been that way as long as I can remember. Reminds me what we are working towards. Protection for the north Peninsula and the Park boundaries to save what little is left. The rest could be covered with billboards to hide the rape of the land. Like those scenes in the movie “Brazil”.
Filed under: Puget Sound | Tagged: Aberdeen, Grayland, Hoquim, Matlock, Olympic Peninsula, Puget Sound, Razor Clamming, Westport Winery | Comments Off on Razor Clamming In Full Swing on Coastal Beaches
